Signaling system



June 15 1926,

' A. A. CLOKEY SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 18, 9 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented: June 15, 1926.

LLLIs oN A. @0332, or nurnnnronn, R

PATENT orrlca.

EW-JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO WESTERN ELEC- Talc coirraur,mcoaronarnn, "or NEW YORK, N. 1., a conrona'rron or NEW YORK.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

application fled February This. invention relates to signaling systems and more particularlyto the transmission of pictures by electricity.

-In the transmission of pictures'by elec- 5 tricityinvoiving the use of printing telegraph equipment, it is 'customarypractice .totrans'mit a group of impulses for each shade or elemental tone of the picture. Inasmuch as -.practically all pictures contain a large number of shades or elemental tones of the same value and density, considerable line time is consumed in the transmission of impulses designating the same shade or elemental tone. It is the object of this inventionto economize on line time. required in the transmission of pictures by utilizing the line for another purpose during a period when a sequence of elemental tones of the same value occurs. Preferably there. is

caused the automatic reproduction of the picture; independently of line impulses when such a sequence of elemental tones'of the same value occurs and during such periodmessages are transmitted and are recorded at the receiving end simultaneously with the re roduction of the picture.

.In accor ance with the above'and other objects, the present invention provides a air of transmitting mechanisms which are adapted to be connected witha line extend-.

ing to a remote station where a corresponding number of telegraph receiving printers the located. One of the transmitting mechanisms may, for the sake of clearness, he designated as a picture transmitter,v while -the other may be referred to as. a message or traflic transmitter. Likewise, the receiving printers ma be so designated, that is, as a picture an a message printer rev spectively. The tape which is adapted to be assed through the picture transmitter is lirst perforated by any well known mechanism with a code designating the different shades or elemental tones of the picture to be transmitted. In the construction of one embodiment of the invention when there occurs in the picture a sequence of elements of the same. shade or toxic value, this fact will be evident by the absence of perforations in the tape which has been previously perforated in accordance withthe different elemental tones of the'picture to-be transmitted. Due to the absence of in the tape, the message transmi ter is made rf orations effective to transmit message current impulses which cause the operation of the message printer at the receiving station. Dunng this period, the picture printer contlnues. to print the characters representing a the different elemental tonevalues of the ic- "t'ureindependent of line current impu ses,

s1nce such a printer is designed to continue. operation until a change in the tone value of the pictures occurs which is made evident by the transmission of a difi'erent code of impulses andwhich causes the disconnect1on of the message or traiiic transmitter from the line.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, wherein with Fig. 1,' on the left of Fig. 2, the system is shown schematically.

-A.better understandin of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanymg drawing in which one embodiment of the lnvention is illustrated.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a transmitting station A and a receiving station B connected by a line conductor 6 which is preferably equipped for duplex operation, that is, the simultaneous.

may be had from the fol owing description transmission of impulses in both directions 9 over a single line conductor.

The transmitting mechanism A comprises a pair of tape transmitters 8 and 9 designated as a picture transmitter and a message or traflic transmitter respectively. Each of these transmitters is. of the ta e operated type, that is, each is provide with contacts adapted to be operated in accordance with perforations in a previousl perforated tape. A transmitter suitab e for this type of system is disclosed in B. J. Benjamin Patent No. 1,298,440, March 25, 1919. The contacts of the transmitters 8 ahd 9 are adapted to be connected to segments 11 to 15 of a multiplex or'synchronous distributor- 16 through the contacts and armature of a relay 10, the function of which will be more clearly described hereinafter. v The distributor 16 is provided with an outer ring which is divided into a plurality of small such as 11- to 15, these se ents being included in one uadrant o t he distributor, .the segments 0 the other quadrants being connected either to similar transmitting mechanism or suitable receiving mechanisms.

mments 11 to 15 will be transmitted to the The distributor 16 also has segments 20, 21,22, 23 and 24. The respective segments, of the distributor are adapted to be bridged by brushes 26 and 27 carried by a brush arm which is secured to a continuously rotating shaft. The continuous ring 18 is connected to the apex of the ratio arms in which the line conductor 6 terminates and which include the windings of a receiving relay 34, thus impulses impressed on the segline as the brush 27'passes over the respective segments.

The line conductor 6 terminates at the station B in the duplexequipment of which the relay'35 forms a part. The relay s adapted to respond to incoming impulses but is made non-responsive to outgoing inn pulses. Consequently the impulses transmitted from station A cause the operation of relay 35 which has its armature connected to a continuous ring 38 of a multiplex synchronous distributor 37.

V distributor are connected to. the selecting magnets 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57 of a receiving printer 0. The'receiving prlnter G'is simlar to that shown and claimed ,in copending application Serial No. 397,903, filed July 21,

' 1920, and since the printer structure per se does not form a part of the present invention, only so much' of the structure as is necessary for a complete and clear understanding of the present invention has been shown. However, for a more detailed description of the printer structure, reference should be had to the application referred to above.

The-receiving printer 0 is provided with a plurality of selecting members 60,61, 62,

63 and 64, which are adapted t9 be selected in accordance withthe energization ofthe selecting magnets 53 to 57 and which are adapted to remain in their selected position until a change in the character of the selecting current impulses is received from the distant station. Positioned in front of the selecting members '60 to 64 is an auxiliary code bar 67 which has cut on one of its faces a plurality of notches which, when the selecting members 60 to 64 are in a predetermined position, allow the auxiliary code bar 67 to move to the ri ht. In addition to the auxiliary code bar 6 which is connected to a pull bar 68 by a connected lever-69, a plurality of other code bars 70, 71 72 and 73 are arranged to be selected by the selecting members 60 to 64. The selection of the auxiliary code bars 7 0, 71, 72 and 73 is, however, prevented so longas the platen 75 is in the lower case or unshifted position. When it is desired to select anyone of the auxiliary code bars 7 0, 71, 72 or 73, the transmitter at the distant station is so operated as to transmit a group of impulses for causing the operation of the selected magnets 53 to 57 in a manner such that the auxiliary code bar 67 is allowed to move to the right. As described in detail in application, Serial No.- 397,903, hereinabove cited, upon the rotation of the cam shaft which is released upon. the energization of an electromagnet 76 and which carries cam 77 the operating member 78 is caused to engage the miQi ggtWp the pnllbartS-anWse the platen to be shifted to the upper case position. Upon this operation, pivoted member 79 is moved out of the path of pivoted members 88, 89, 90 and 91 which are individual to the auxiliary code bars 70, 71, 72 and 73 and which are connected thereto by connecting link 92 and serve to operate contact operating members 83, 84, 85 and 86. Now when the selecting magnets 53 to57 are energized such that their ends are in the path of notches cutin any one of the auxiliary code bars, 70, 71, 72 and 73, the selected code bar is free to move to the right a distance sufficient to cause the operation of its associated contact operating member for closing contacts associated therewith.

For example, should the code bar be selected, contact 93 would be closed, whereupon a circuit for relay 94 would be complet- .ed. This relay upon being energized establishes a locking circuit for itself through the back contact and armature of a control relay 95 and completes predetermined circuits so A for the selecting magnets of the picture printer DJ The picture printer D is similar in all respects to the receiving printer G except that such printer need not be provided y'with the auxiliary code bars 70, 71, 72 and 73. vWhenever any of the auxiliary code bars 70, 71, 72 and 73 are selected, it is, of course, necessary to prevent the spacing of the printingmechanism which usually occurs upon each rotation of the cam shaft. In

the construction of the embodiment disclosed,

the spacing between characters is. accomplished by a ratchet wheel 100 which is adapted to be engaged by a stepping pawl 101 upon eachrotation of a cam 102 for causing the advancement of the platen or type carriage, as the case may be, step-by-step. However, when any of the auxiliary code bars 70, 71, 72 and 73 are selected, they cause the movement of a pivoted member 103 which has one end in operative connection with a pivoted lever 104 serving, when the pivoted member 103 is operated, to cause the disengagement of the stepping pawl 101 from the teeth'of the ratchet wheel 100. Now upon the rotation of the cam 102, the advancement of the platen or carriage is prevented owing to the disengagement of'the pawl- 101 from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 100. It should be noted that for each revolution of the distributor 37, segment 40 is bridged with ring 41 and the release magnet 76 of the printer C and the release magnet 106 of printer D are energized for causing the release of the associated cam shafts. No character of the message or traffic printer C is printed upon the selection of any of the auxiliary code bars 70, 71, 72 and 73 due to the fact that the 0d which the picture transmitter 8 is operated, the stepping magnet 31 of the message type bars which are also selected upon the selection of any one of these auxiliary code bars have the type removed for their upper case position, and although the type bar for each one of the selections is caused to strike the platen, no printing results due to the fact that it is blank ,for the upper case position.

The operator in perforating the tape in accordance with the different shades or elemental tones of the picture, on observing a sequence of the same shade or tone causes the tape to be perforated in accordance with the code designating the shift operation of the printer. Following this perforation. the character designating the particular shade or elemental tone of the picture is perforated in the tape which controls the selection of one of the auxiliary code bars 70,71, 72 and 73 for closing the energizing circuit of relays 94, 107, 108 and 109 respectively. Following this perforation, there a pears a perforation designating the unshi t operation which causes the printer C to assume its unshifted position. The picture printer 1) will, however, continue to print the character designating the particular shade or tone due to the fact that the relay controlled by the auxiliary code bars of the trafiic or message printer C is locked up until a change in the shade or tone value of the picture is evident by the transmission of a shift signal followed by a code designating a different shade or tone value of the picture and an unshift signal, as previously described. lVhen' this occurs, the control relay which,

controls through its back contact the lockingcircuit of one of the relays 94;, 107,108 or 109, is energized whereupon the locking circuit of the associated'relay is opened and the relay is deenergized.

lVhen a perforation appears in the tape of the picture transmitter 8 contact 110 is closed for causing the energization and locking up of relay 10. This re ay, as previously described, controls through its contacts and armature the connection and disconnection of'the transmittersB and. 9 from the seg-' ments 11 to 15 of the distributor 16. So long as perforations appear in the picture tape,

.relay 10 remains energized and thepicture transmitter is connected to the segments 11 to 15 inclusive. However, in the case of the contact of relay 110.

in the transmitter 8 in accordance with-the transmission of thesignal current impulses designating the unshift operation, operating member 111 of the picture transmitter 8 iscaused to move to its opposite contact Thus, upon the passage of the brush 26 over segments 20 and 21, a circuit is completed for relay 112 which is now energizd and which opens at its contact the locking circuit of I, relay 10. Relay 10 for this operation is de- I energized and thereupon disconnects the picture transmitter 8 and connects the message or trafiic transmitter 9 withthe segments 11 to 15 of the distributor 16. During the perior tra fiic transmitter 9 is prevented from operating due to the closure of the extreme left-hand-contact of relay 10.. However,

whenthis relay is deenergized, a circuit for the step-pingmagnet 31 is coinpletedaip'on each revolution of the brush arm-25 and the Y I passage of the brush 26 on the segments 23 and 24-. of the distributor 16. It should also rations in the tape which is at this time'passing through it.

a A better understanding of the invention may perhaps be obtained from a description of the operation" of the system. Assuming for the sake of illustration that the tape passing through thepicture transmitter has advanced. to a point where a perforation.

therein designating the shaft operation of the printer is in position to cause the oper-- atioii -of the contact operating members of the transmitter. Upon the operation of any one of these operating members, contact 110 is closed, whereupon relay 10 is energized and the traffic transmitter 9 is disconnected from the segments 11'to 15and the picture transmitter 8 connected thereto. The advancement of the tape through the message or trafiic transmitter 9 is at this time prevented due to the establishment of an energizing circuit for stepping magnet. 31 which extends from grounded battery, winding of magnet 31 to the extremeleft armature and The impulses. set up perforations in-the tape will be transmitted over the line 6 upon thepassage of brush 27 over the-segments '11 to 15 These impulses, upon being received at station B, cause the operation of relay35 which causes the energization of the selecting magnets 53 to 57 at the instant the brush 43 passes on to the segments 48 to 52'inclusive. It is, of course, to be understood that the distributors 16 and 37 are oiperating in synchronism and passing over the same segments at the same instant. The selecting magnets 53 to 57 will thereupon causethe setting of the selecting memberstdto 6% to a position such that the auxiliary code bar 67 is allowed to move to the right a distance sufficient to cause a projection on the pull bar 68 to be moved intothepath of the operating member 78. l/Vhen the brush 42 bridges segment 40 with ring 41', an energizing circuit is established-for release magnets 76 and-106 of the printers C and D respectively, whereupon the cam '26 bridges segments 22 and 24 whereupon an energizing circuit is establishedifor stepping magnet 3O of transmitter 8. This causes the advancement. of the tape of this crating members of the transmitter.

transmitter to bring the next group of perforations in alignment with the contact op- Assume, for'the sake of illustration, that this group of perforations is such as to cause the transmission of current impulses for the positioning of the selecting members 60 to 64 to a position for allowing the auxiliary code bar 7 O to be selected. The selection of the auxiliary code bar causes the movement of pivoted member 88 and the closure of contact 93. Upon the closure of contact 93, the energizing circuit for relay 94 is completed which, upon closing its con-r tacts, completes a locking circuit for itself and energizing circuits for selecting magnets 115, 117 and 118 of the picture printer 1). Due to the ,energization of these selecting magnets, the selecting mechanism of the printer D will be positionedv such that a" character will be printed which designates the particular shade or elemental tone of the picture being transmitted. Assume further that there appears in the picture a. se quence of the. same shade or elemental tone values, in which case, following the rfora tions designating the particular s ade Air elemental tone value of the picture, there will appear a set of perforations designatmg the unshift operation of the printer When this occurs, contact operating member 111015 the picturetransmitter8 establishes an energizing circuit .for relay 112 which is completed upon the passage of brush 126 on tosegments 20 and 21 following the passage of the brush'127 ofi sag-n 7 ment 15. At the transmitting station the picture transmitter 8 will be disconnected from the segments 11 to .15 and the anemage' or trafiic transmitter 9 connected theretoif At the .receiving station, the code. bar Immediately to the left of the auxiliary Lessee? code bar 67 is selected for causing the move-- ment of-pull bar 120 in the path of the operating member 7 8- lVhen this operating member 78 is moved downwardly, due to the: I engagement of the enlarged portion of the U9; cam 77, the platen will be moved to its un-1 shift position, thereby restoring pivoted member 79 in the path of the members 88, 89, and 91. Now, should the selectingmagnets 53 to 57 be energized in a manner 75; to positipn the selecting members 60 to 64, such as would allow the auxiliary code bars 70, 71, 72 and 73 to move to the right, they would'be prevented due to the positionin of the pivoi :d member 7 9 in their path. he picture printer, will, however, continue 4 to function to print the character which was selected due to the energizing of relay94, due to the fact that this relay is locked up through the back contact and armature of relay 95.

Likewise, any other character may be, printed on the picture printer D upon the selection of the auxiliary code bars 71,72

and 73. However, when any of these code bars are selected, no printing-on thetraflic or message printer C results due to the factthat the'printer is in the upper case position and the type bar individual to the selec-' tion of these code bars has the type in its upper ease position removed.

So long as no perforations, appear in the tape passing through the picture transmitter; the message transmitter 9 continues to operate for transmitting message current im--. pulses in accordance with the perforations appearing in its tape. These impulsesu on being received at the receiving station l3 cause'the operation of the selecting mecha-., nism of message printer C and the recording of the characters designating the particular group of impulses transmitted simultaneously. Simultaneously with this operation, the picture printer D functions to print a character designating the particular shade or elemental tone of the picture. 1

Although the invention has been disclosedsi. and described with reference to a particular, C typeof apparatus, it is, of course, obvious? thatvarious modifications may be. madewith-= ou ideparting from the spirit and scope. or f thefpresent invention- 1 F WWhat is claimed is: "1'. The Imethod of' operating a picture telegraph transmission system in which the picture isreproduced by successively reproducing unit areas,'each having one of a group of elementaltone or color values whichl com-- prises transmitting indication of changes. ofelemental tone or color values, trans mitting no indication relative to the picture during representing repetitlon L'of; v

tone or color -values-,.and transmitting dun-P ch periods other indications which depot-represent such repetitions. 2 3

. represent repetitions oftone values.

3. In combination, a signaling path ezitenth ing .between two stations, means at .one of said stations for transmitting over said signalin path signal indications of changes-of the e emental tone or color values of a picture, means at the other station for reproducing the picture in accordance with such indications, and means effective during periods representing repetitions of the tone or color values of the picture for transmittin signal impulses which do not represent suc repetitions.

4. In combination, a signaling path ex tendin between two stations, means at one of sai stations for transmittingv over said signalin path signal indications in accordance wit the elemental tone or color values of a picture,'means at the other station for reproducing the picture in accordance with such signal indications, means for rendering said first recited means ineffective during periods representing repetitions of the tone or color values of the picture, and means operative during such period for transmitting signal impulses other than those represent ing the elemental tone or color values of the picture. T

' 5. In combination, a line extending between two" stations, means atone of said stations for transmitting over said line signal impulses of changes of the elemental tone or color values of a picture, means at the other station responsive to said'signal impulses for reproducing the'picture, and means effective during periods representing repetitions of tone or color values of the picture for transmitting over said line signal impulses representing words and characters. 6. The method of electrical transmission of pictures which consists in transmitting a single group of impulses which designate each change in the elemental tone value of the icture, causing thetransmissio'n of message impulses during the occurrence of a sequence of elemental tones of the same value, and simultaneously recording the message and reproducing the picture on separate receiving mechanisms.

7. The method of electrical transmission of pictures which consists in perforating a code in a tape to indicate a change in the elemental tone values of the picture,

causing the transmission of current impulses corresponding to such code to operate a picture reproducer and reproducing a series of like tone values of the picture independentthe said distributor.

ly of said current impulses until a code indication of a different elemental tone value of the picture is received.

8. The method of electrical transmission of pictures which consists in perforating a code in a tape to indicate a change in the elemental tone values of the picture, perforating a tape in accordance with a message to be transmitted transmitting the code change in the tone 7| value of the picture, and thereafter transwhich designates suc I mitting current impulses in accordance with the perforations of the message ta e until a change 1n the tone value 'of the picture is indicated by' a perforation in the first tape.

9. The method of electrical transmission of pictures which consists in perforating acode in atape to indicate a change in the elemental tone values of the picture,

perforating a tape in accordance with a message to be transmitted, transmitting the code which designates such change in the tone value of the picture, thereafter transmitting current impulses in accordance with the perforations of the messa e tape until a change in the tone value 0 the picture is indicated by a perforation in the first tape, and reproducing the picture at the recelving end as determined by such code independent of line current impulses during 5 the occurrence of a sequence ofthe same elemental tones.

10. In combination, a line, a distributor connected to said line, a plurality of tape transmitters associated with said distributori a corresponding number of tapes for sai transmitters perforated'in accordance with a message to be transmitted and the ele mental tones of a picture also'to be trans mitted, and means controlled by one of said transmitters when there occurs an absence of perforations in one 'of said ta es designating a sequence of'the same e emental tones of the picture for causing the'disconnection of the associated transmitter and the connection of the other transmitter with 11. In a telegraph system, a'line connecting a transmitting and a receiving station,

a plurality of transmitting and receiving.

the ,line and connecting the other mechanism thereto, and means at the receiving station for causing the slmultaneous operation of said receiving mechanismsirrespective of whetherboth of said'transmitting 126 mechanisms are operating.

12-In combination, a line, a distributor connected to said line,a'pair of telegraphtransmitters associated with said distribu- .tor,.means controlling the connection and disconnection of said transmitters with said means non-operated to disconnect said transmitter and connect the other of said transmitters with said distributor.

13. In combination, a line, a receiving printer associable with said line for recording messages, a second receiving printer controlledb said first receiving printer, and meanse 'ective on the transmission of predetermined groups of impulses for causing the operation 'of said second receiving printer.

14.'In combination, a line, a receiving printer associable with said line for recording messages, a second receiving printer controlled by said first receiving printer, means eifective on the transmission of predetermined groups of impulses for causing the operation of said second or receiving printer, and means-for causing the continuous operation of said, second receiving printer independently of said first receiving printer.

15. In combination, a line, a receivin rinter associable with said line for recor ing messages a second geceivin'g printer con: trolled by-said first printer for reproducing Lessee?" operated by said first receiving printer on 'the transmission of predetermined groups of impulses for causing the reproduction of the picture on said picture printer.

16. In "combination, a line, a receiving printer associable with said line for recording messages, a second receiving printer controlled by said first printer for reproducing a picture in accordance with a prearranged code as determined bythe elemental tones of-the picture, relay means selectively operated by said first receiving printer on the transmission of predetermined groups of impulses for causing the reproduction of the picture on said second receiving printer, and relay means effective when said other relay neans -is'operated for maintaining said means operated whereby said second printer is caused to reproduce the picture independently of the operation of said first printer.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe: I

my namethis 15th day of February A; 1)., 1924.

ALLISON A CLQKEY. 

